Amazingly delicious chocolate truffles – Stahls Bakery in Kent, OHIO


    I had written a post long back about Stahls Bakery in Kent, OHIO. I talked about their truffles, I just thought maybe I need a picture to prove my post’s worth so here you are….

    I would like to also add about some more delicacies the dear owner had prepared that day; freshly baked bear claws, and the best the walnut cinnamon rolls, along with lots of different kinds of cookies (the little flower shaped ones I loved)

    So dont you think, it will be worth your while, the next time you are in Kent, Ohio, to stop by and have some of the amazingly delicious chocolate truffles (no offense, Lindt, I love you too)



Deals galore everywhere I turn!


How lovely is the world where you only see Sale and Clearance on racks in malls! Tis the season to be jolly (I mean shopping which does make me jolly) la la la la la la la…

So, come on dress up a little, put on a nice sweater, some lip gloss, some mascara, and eat a good snack before you head out.

Macys, Dillards, Kohls, Target, or stores like TJMaxx, HomeGoods, etc etc. (geographically speacking in USA of course)

Good Luck, and incase you find a good deal, and would love to share with lifensuch readers, we are waiting to hear from you!

Take care and have fun!



Gandhi – Mahatma – Forever


I do not have elephants memory, but some things stay with me forever.

My personal favorite quotes from one of the most amazing people (see my vocabulary, I cannot find good Gandhi-appropriate adjectives for the Mahatma).

Here you go:

- “Genuine laughter is true eloquence.”

- “Be the change you want to see in the world.” (do not know the exact words)

Just thought we all must stop, take a step back and linger on these for a few moments.



Harrisburg, Hershey Town, Baltimore… fun fun…




…last weekend. Or maybe that was a couple weekends back. But, it was a blast!

Chocolate Factory
Okay why is it important for us? Because we had lots of good food, met good ol’ friends, had a good time! Isn’t that what we are all about: Good food, Good friends, and a Good life!

So, let me recap what all happened, and then I will follow up with the new recipes. I am sooooo excited!

First stop: Harrisburg, PA. Let me say one thing, wow, for a small little place, it is power packed! Has lots of good stores for shopping, good deals, lots of good grocery stores, lots of Indian grocery stores.

We lived with Maira jaan and her parents. Maira is so gorgeous! Maira’s mom, Sadia, is such an awesome cook. She is a great artist too. I will post some of her recipes.

They took us to Hershey town. While I have been to the Chocolate Factory long back, its always been in the winter. But it is Maira loves it, and Sadia says its much more fun in the summer with the rides and stuff.

From Harrisburg we went to Baltimore, to dear friend Tehsins. She has a new house! Its so lovely. Its purrrfect!
And the food she cooked; Oh, oh! Thai Curry with chicken, Chicken manchurian, super simple fried rice (ofcourse, its all Indian-ized!).

In Baltimore, Tehsin treated us to the Aquarium located in the downtown, right at the Inner Bay (I think that’s what it is called). It was so much fun! The highlight was definitely the Dolphin show and the 3-D movie theater which was playing our sons favorite movie ‘Diego’!

Did lots of grocery shopping, again awesome Indian and Chinese grocery stores!

So, I know even though its winter up here in Northeast Ohio; its still possible to have fun. Just take the effort and drive to a little bit warmer place. This way you get to meet your friends, spend some time with them, (of course remember to invite them to your place too), enjoy good food (also help them however you can, so its less taxing to the host), and have a good time!

Gotta go, I have to cook lunch now (planning to cook the Thai curry with chicken now, and then use the Shan Chicken Ginger masala).

I will come back and post the super awesome recipes, and promise they are super simple too.

Till then, take care!



Lazy Sunday or Super Sunday


Lazy Sunday or lazy me? More like, me. But oh, waking up at 7 am is not a small feat for a super cold Sunday with temperatures lingering around 0 deg. So, hopefully, Sunday is not going to be that lazy. I have plans, oh yeah, big plans.

Cook chicken, eat chicken, go out finish the snow man that we started yesterday. See, told you, big plans.

And more… but incase you are planning on being lazy, then check out these couple blogs I found, very cute, interesting, and maybe, you might get inspired by some diy projects.

I am in love with lcy, good work Alaina, and then, found h&h.

Alaina has good taste, and that shows from her blog, her home . Love your style, love your home. H&H have awesome diy projects. I am dying to try out the leather monogrammed key chains.

Okay, that is it for now.

But before I head to the kitchen, wanted to mention how easy it is to use sprouts in your food often! So, read my next post, and puh-lease start eating more sprouts. More sprouts = more protein and what not (actually, I am not sure what else, hence, the ‘what not’, but I do know, that they are good, ‘cos mother says so, and we all know, the mother is right)



Mulethi or Licorice


I just discovered that the desi root ‘mulethi’ is called licorice in English! Thats what some websites suggest, I wonder if its true. Plus mulethi is a wonder root. It is used when you have cough. You simply chew on the root. And some more properties. I have to find out more.

Till then, on the way to discovering, or more like I bumping into new things.

Au revoir! Good-bye!



Koyla restaurant, Andheri, Mumbai, India – Review


Koyla

Do you like the feel of sand under your feet, the smell of fruit flavored hukkahs, the beautiful Morrocan and Arabic designs with lamps and little cabanas for a cozy gathering with your family and friends?

Well, if you are in Morocco or Saudi Arabia, then its no problem! But if you are in Mumbai, then you are in luck!

We (I, Murad, my little one, Timsi, Sameer and Ruveer, their little one) just went for an impromptu dinner the other night to Koyla restaurant, which has all the things I described above.

It was lovely. Though its seriously getting hot here, the open air restaurant which is on the last floor of a small building, was a pleasant surprise. They had lots of fans going around, so I did not feel the heat. Also, the ambiance was so inviting. You just wanted to relax there. But with two little toddlers, we managed to get some pleasant moments in between.

The kids had the most fun, playing, rolling in the sand.

The food was good, we ordered veg platter, dal makhani, butter chicken (yummy), and assorted breads. The butter chicken was definitely the best. The breads got a little chewy. The dal was good, not too spicy or oily.

The food was moderately priced.

I guess, being a Sunday night, it was rather difficult to get a good place to sit, but we waited, and we finally got a little tent of our own with a nice big table, and comfortable cane chairs.

All in all, a good night.

It has another location at Colaba. I dont have the address for it though.

This one is situated near the Infiniti Mall, in Andheri.

I would rate this restaurant easily 4 out of 5.



I or me


Aye aye aye!! :(

Me realized earlier, what a fool me is :(

Me used “me” inplace where “I” should have been and vice versa. Now you know what pain me feels.

Not anymore, its not me, its I. I am going to be more careful how I use ‘me’ and ‘I’ in future.

Thou shares my pain too?



All women exhibition in Malad West, 30 September 2011


Today and tomorrow (30 Sept, and 1 Oct, 2011) women are exhibiting their art and craft creations at Bajaj Hall in Malad (West), Mumbai.

I heard not a single man is allowed in, not even the photographers or the maintenance staff. The entire event from start to finish has been handled by women. I like that women in control.

All women, all day!

p.s. I plan to go, lets see if I can make it. Then I will post about it. :D



Foods that can lead to or prevent cancer


I recently got my hands on a CARF (Cancer Aid and Research Foundation) bulletin. Interesting research going on, please read ahead for the summary.

While I know protein rich food is very essential for you, there is a study going on that suggests that protein rich food if not balanced by carbohydrates may lead to gall stones, which if untreated may lead to gall bladder cancer.

On the other hand, foods like parsley,celery, fish oil, whole grains, fruits and vegetables, beans and pulses contain cancer fighting compounds.

So not only should we eat healthy, but always eat in moderation and a balanced way.

To health and happiness!